Board game apparatus



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Patented June 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noAan GAME APPARATUSOswald B. Lord, New York, N. Y1, assignor to Parker Brothers, Inc.,Salem, Mass., 9. corporation of Maine Application March a, 1936, SerialNo. 66,827

v 9 Claims. This invention relates to board game apparatus and isintended primarily to provide a game of 10 embodiment thereof in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a board actingas the playing field which in this embodiment of my invention is a mapwfthe United States with its 15 State sub-divisions, and certainnotations and indicia to be hereinafter referred to;

Fig. 2 represents one each of a plurality of sets of pins or othermarkers used by the players respectively;

20 Fig. 3 represents three dice preferably employed as thechance-expressing device;

Fig. 4 represents one of a series of disk-like pin cushions or receiversthat may be provided for the sets of pins or markers;

25 Fig. 5 represents as a modification one of a series of envelopes thatmay be used for the pins or markers instead of the pin cushions;

Fig. 6 represents one only of the pieces of play money used in playingthe game;

30 Fig. 7 represents three only of a series of preferably twenty-eightso-called speech cards, each of which declares a policy and alsoindicates advantages gained by the player enunciatlng'such policy byplaying the card; and

Fig. 8 represents one of the score cards or tally sheets.

While I have in Fig. 1 represented a map of the United States and whileI shall describe in detail the disclosed embodiment of the game astypifying or containing features incident to the election of a presidentof the United States, I desire it to be understood that my invention isnot for all purposes limited to a game based upon or pertaining 45 to anelection of a president of the United States,

inasmuch as in other embodiments of my invention (which, however, wouldnot possess all the interest incident to the use of the disclosedembodiment of the invention), I may use as a 5 playing field any countryhaving political divisions, whether States or departments or otherdivisions, where a head or ruler is elected, as, for example, apresident of France, Mexico, etc., or a prime minister, as in Canada,British 55 Isles, etc. Obviously, however, the chief and absorbinginterest of the game resides in portraying an election of a president ofthe United States.

Accordingly, I will describe in detail only that specific embodiment ofmy invention which does portray or typifytheelection of a president ofthe United States without in all respects limiting. my invention byreason of such specific description.

Before proceeding to the complete description of the invention, it ispointed out that the present 10 embodiment thereof is intended tosimulate a contest for the electoral votes ofthe various States of theUnited States. This is accomplished as a game in the following manner.

I indicate'within the outline of each State the actual number ofelectoral votes of that State. I also indicate the capitol city of theState. In order to simulate a contest in the State to gain the electoralvotes thereof, I mark upon each State sub-divisions or sub-areasthereof. This I prefer to do by indicating the "counties of each State.I purposely do not attempt to indicate the actual number of counties ineach State. After much experimentation I have provided the same numberof counties in each State excepting in the four States of smallest area,namely, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island. In each ofall the other States I have represented seven counties, four countiesbeing indicated in said four States of smallest area.

I provide a plurality of sets of pins or other suitable markers, one setbeing furnished each player. These pins or markers are contrastinglycolored so that the pins or markers of the different players will not beconfused. They might instead be contrastingly shaped, or otherwisedifferentiated.

Some chance-expressing device is provided, preferably several dice A, tobe used by the players in turn and which determine the movements 40 0fthe pins of markers of the players. The movements of said pins ormarkers are, however, not determined wholly by the throw of the dice orother chance determining elements, inasmuch as I provide a series ofso-called speech" cards 4 to be hereinafter more fully described, andeach of which has indicia thereon indicating or describing an advantagegained by the player holding and playing such card. The advantageconsists in the right of the one playing such card to move a pin ormarker forward in certain States.

I also provide play money preferably in the sum of $6,000,000 in scripand which is distributed among the players at the outset of the game aswill be hereinafter fully described. I also provide a score card ortally sheet which contains an alphabetical list of all the forty-eightStates, the

actual number of electoral votes of each State bei g ven upon said card.The card is marked with vertical columns, one for each player, so

that the number of electoral votes gained by each player at the stagesof the game hereinafter explained, may be marked.

Each player, as the object of the game, endeavors to elect himselfpresident of the United States by securing a. majority of the totalelectoral votes of the States, this being, in the present embodiment ofthe game, 266 or more outof a total of 531.

Having now referred to the salient features of the invention, I willspecifically describe the actual structure of the apparatus employed andthe preferred way of playing the game.

The board is represented at I. It is of any suitable material andpreferablyis provided with a hinge 2, so that it may be folded up orclosed like a book. The board has a playing field which herein is a mapof the United States, indicated generally at 3. Each of the forty-eightStates is represented in proper geographical position, also the capitalcity of each State is indicated and the name thereof appears upon themap. For the purpose of the game the capital city of each State is,however, placed to theeast (that is, to the right) of all the countylines of that State. Also the number of electoral votes to which eachState is entitled is printed upon the State, preferably within a circle.

The sub-divisions or portions of each State are preferably indicated ascounty lines, representative ones whereof are designated by the numeral-3. For the purposes of the game, the said county lines are parallel,running north and south, and in area of the State.

the case of each State said county lines are seven in number exceptingthat the States of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Delawarehave but four county lines each. In suitable relation to said countylines and preferably directly be neath them is a number which indicatesthe taking value of each county or sub-division or sub- Such numbers arenot entirely arbitrarily assigned, but have an approximate relation tothe actual number of electoral votes to which the States arerespectively entitled. While the said numbers have an approximaterelation to the electoral votes of the respective States, they are alsochosen with the idea of grouping the States according to their electoralvotes, thus permitting the States of each group to have a distinctivecolor. This permits the counting of the electoral votes belonging toeach player to be very quickly done or closely estimated. Such groupingand contrasting coloring does not in the present embodiment of theinvention apply to all of the States, as will appear from the following:

Each State with respect to which the taking value of a county line isone, is herein colored yellow. This group includes four of the NewEngland States, Delaware and ten western States.- Another group ofStates, namely, those in which two is the taking value of a county line,is colored blue, namely, Connecticut, Maryland, West Virginia,fivesouthern States and four Western States. Another group of States whereinthree is the taking value of a. county line is colored red. These Statesare mainly in the south and in the central part of the United States.Another group of States wherein four is the taking value ofa countyline, is colored purple, namely, the States of Massachusetts, New Jerseyand Michigan. In

California and Texas, the taking value of a county line is five andthese States are colored pink, constituting a group. The remaining groupof States is colored green, namely, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and NewYork. In these States the taking value of the county lines is not thesame throughout. In Illinois and Ohio, it is six, in Pennsylvania eight,and New York nine.

The players are preferably two to six in number. Each of them isprovided with a suitable number of pins or markers, one each of which isindicated at 4 in Fig. 2. Preferably I provide pins the heads of whichare colored as follows: Red, blue, yellow, white, green, black. They maybe otherwise differentiated. A suitable number of pins is provided foreach player, as, for example, fifteen or more. I prefer to employ sharppointed pins and in such case the board or playing field is of suchcharacter, as, for example, card board, that the pins can be impaledreadily upon the county lines. Within the scope of my invention,however, I might provide holes or sockets in the county lines to receiveblunt pins or short rods or sticks. Preferably, however, pins withcontrastingly colored heads are provided.

I may provide any suitable holder or receiver for the pins 4. Forexample, they may be all placed loosely in the box which receives allthe parts of the game excepting the board. I prefer, however, to providean individual holder for each player. This may take the form of a disksuch as indicated at 5 in Fig. 4. Said disk would desirably consist oftwo circular'or square cardboard disks suitably held together andreceiving .the pins between them in radial position. Or, if preferred, Imay employ a series of small envelopes 6, one to receive the pins ormarkers of each player. Desirably the elements 5, 6, if employed, havecolors corresponding to the pin heads of the different groups of pins.

I also provide a quantity of play orsimulated money. This is preferablyin the form of scrip indicated at I in Fig. 6. This game money or scripmay be in any suitable denominations and any desired amount. I prefer toprovide $6,000,000, and to have the same in denominations of $10,000,$20,000, $50,000 and $100,000. Preferably "the scrip is contrastinglycolored according to the denominations, as, for example, red for scriprepresenting $10,000, green for scrip representing $20,000, blue forscrip representing $50,000, and black for scrip representing $100,000.

I also provide what I term speech" cards, three only of which areindicated at 8 in Fig. 7. These cards have two functions in the presentembodiment of the invention. They each have data thereon indicatingbriefly a policy that, according to the game, is favored by the playerholding the same. They also each have data specifying an advantagegained with respect to progress in securing additional counties incertain specified States. Each such advantage is supposed to be gainedbecause of the decla ation of each such policy, that is, the playing thecard declaring such policy.

These cards, therefore, are intended to simulate the condition supposedto exist or actually existing in national politics, namely, theadvantage that a candidate will secure in certain States if he declareshimself in favor of some policy that has or is supposed to have theadherence of a majority of voters in such State or States.

For example, the three cards which are shown in Fig. '7 declarerespectively as follows:

ment of a policy a statement of the number of counties won in certainStates because of the declaration of such policy. For example, card No.1 is declared to win or gain one county in New York and also inPennsylvania; card No. 2 one county each in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana;and card No. 3 one'county each in New York, New Jersey and Illinois.entire list of the policies specified upon these cards, but in thepresent embodiment of the game there are preferably eight cards allspecifying a policy, as follows:

I declare in favor of a local issue.

Each of the remaining cards specify some other policy, but a few ofwhich are herewith given as representative examples:

I declare in favor of increased aid to cotton growers. a

I declare in favor of a high tariff on imported lumben I declare infavor of Government ownership of the railroads.

I declare in favor of further relief for farm mortages.

I declare in favor of Share the wealth" movement.

I declare in favor of unlimited coinage of silver.

Each of the said cards specifies the winning of i a county or countiesin some one or more States.

Any suitable number of said speech" cards may be provided; in thepresent embodiment of the invention I have provided twenty-eight as thegame is actually marketed.

I also provide a series of score cards or tally sheets which aresumciently indicated at 9 in Fig. 8. Each of such score cards or tallysheets contains an alphabetical list of all the fortyeight States in avertical column at the left. The next adjacent column specifies theactual number of electoral votes for each of said States. Sixadditional-columns are provided which are headed with an indication ofthe colors of the pins used by the different players, in this instance,white, black, red, yellow, blue and green.

At the proper time provided by the rules, the players ascertain from theposition of the pins on the various States whatstates have been won byeach'player. The result is thenwritten down in the respective columnsunder the color of pin pertaining to each player. It may be here pointedout that actually: the counting of the vote may be very speedily donewith the sacrifice of a very little accuracy in the following manner:

Each player multiplies the number of yellow colored States he has won byfour. the number of blue colored States he has won by eight, and thenumber of red colored States he has won by twelve. He then adds theelectoral votes of the green, the pink and the purple States won by himto make his total. If the two lowest totals are within a few points ofeach other (say, five), the two players concerned should accuratelycheck their results, counting the actual number of votes of each Statewon by them respectively. I

Having thus described the entire game apparatus, I will now set forth indetail the manner of playing the game. 'I'henumber of players .may vary,but the greatest interest results if two'to six, players participate.Each player-is given a quan- It is unnecessary to give an a tity of pinsof his color, a million dollars in scrip and three speechf' cards which,are dealt to him face down one at a time. The remainder of the pack of"speech cards is placed face down on the table about which the playersare seated. so that they may be conveniently drawn from at the propertimes. Each player then immediately pays $250,000 in scrip into theExpense fund,

and he examines his three speech cards to ascertain in which States theygive him an advantage when playing the same. A preliminary throw of dicedetermines the first player who again throws the dice to, determine theextent of his move. The play proceeds to the left.

The number thrown determines the number of points which that playermoves. Such total number inay be divided as the player pleases,regardless of the fact that there are three dice units. That is, he maycapture, or enter one or more pins at, one or more counties in any oneor more States, until the total number ,of points of his throw has beenexhausted. For example, the player throwing, fifteen could capture twocounties in Montana, one in Arizona and two in Ohio;

or he could capture three counties in Texas; or

five counties in Louisiana and one county in California; or any othercombination totalling fifteen, that he chooses. If the next playershould throw a low total as, for example, six, he could distribute thattotal number as he wishes according to the value of a county in anyState.

When a player captures his first county in a State, he places a pin ofhis color in the westernmost county line, and thereafter moves the pineastward one line at a time as additional counties are captured by himin that State, or hemay, if

he prefers, move the pin no further in that State until an opponententers that State. As a strategic move a playermay prefer to enter asmany States quickly as he can, instead of concentrating on a few States.The first pin to be placed in any county line of a State should beplaced at the uppermost or northern end of that line and the pins of theotherplayers, when and if they capture or enter that same county, shouldbe placed to the south of or below the first pin in order of priority.If a player chooses to capture an additional county in a'State after hehas moved his pin to the seventh or easternmost county line of thatState (fourth in the case of Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut and RhodeIsland), he 'places a pin in the State capital. This signifies that suchplayer has. won that State outright and that fact prevents the otherplayers from making any moves whatsoever in that State while the saidpin remains in the State capital. Under the conditions or rules asfurther set forth herein, however, that pin may be removed from theState capital.

According to the preferred rules of the game, no speech cards may beplayed until the dice have been around the table twice. Thereafter aplayer may pla.y a speech card any time he chooses, upon payment of a$20,000 radio fee to the expense fund. That player must announce hisintention after'one player or candidate has played and before the nextone has rolled the dice. The player then moves his own pins as directedon the speech card which he has just played, placing those pins inaccordance with the gain that is set forth on the speech card he hasjust played. This playing simulates the gain or supposed gain accruingto a presidential candidate in the progress of the campaign in certainlocalities upon the public announcement that he favors certain policies.

If several players announce their desire to.

I provide that each time any player rolls a seven or eleven, and afterhe has made his play, the top speech card on the unused portion of thepack is turned up, read aloud and auctioned off in scrip to the highestbidder. The bidding may be opened by the player who has thrown the sevenor eleven and proceeds to the left. The highest bidder pays the amountof his bid into the expense fund and thereupon he takes the card, to beplayed by him at whatever time he wishes, upon the payment of the$20,000 radio fee when he actually makes the play.

An important feature of the game is that of closing the board. Wheneverthere is at least one pin in every State, the board is said to beclosed. This does notstop the play, but prepares the way for atabulation of the votes at that stage of the game. The leading playerswill usually find it advisable to close the board as quickly as possiblein order to prepare the way for the elimination of some of theircompetitors.

Even though the board is closed, the playing continues until some playerthrows a pair or three of a kind. Thereupon the game is temporarilystopped before that play is actually completed, and the votes arecounted. In counting the votes, the player who has captured the mostcounties in any State (that is, the player who has moved his pinfurthest east in such State) receives the entire electoral vote of thatState, as shown by the figure in the circle upon that State. If two ormore players have captured the same number of counties in the sameState, the player who first captured the easternmost county, as shown bythe position of his pin at the northern end of the final county line, orwho has first advanced farthest in a State, receives the entireelectoral vote of that State.

According to the preferred rules of the game. the vote of a State isnever divided among the players, but always goes as an entirety to thewinner of that State, even though he has captured only one of its sevencounties. I am aware that it has occurred in national elections in theUnited States that the popular vote in some State has been so nearlyevenly divided between the two principal candidates that one or moreelectors of one party win in that State, and the remaining electors ofthe other party win in the same State. This, however, is a veryrareoccurrence and I consider it best not to attempt to simulate thispossible contingency, though it isv evident that within the scope of myinvention the game may be played in such a way as to provide for thatcontingency,

If, upon such tabulation of the- States, it is found that none of theplayers has secured a maiority of the electoral votes (namely, 266 ormore) the player with the lowest number of votes is eliminated each timethe votes are counted, and he must remove all of his pins from the boardand surrender his speech cards, both those played and those unplayed, tobe shuflled with the unused portion of the pack, or, if desired, all butthe three players having the highest scores at the first tabulation ofvotes may be eliminated, thus speeding up the game. If, however, onlythe lowest player is eliminated, the remaining players proceed asbefore, closing the board again before the next tabulation of votes ifit develops that the board has been "opened by the removal of theeliminat- 5 ed players pins. In case of a tie for lowest place, noplayer is eliminated and the play proceeds until the throwing of thenext pair or three of a kind.

The million dollars in scrip given to each player at the beginning ofthe game is understood to be his campaign fund and to insure its usestrategically, it is understood to be given on the understanding that hemay not obtain any more.

The game may be played without the expense fund or campaign fund, as forexample, by having the drawings from the speech cards controlled by thethrowing of the dice. For example, a player throwing a seven or aneleven might draw the top speech card.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, it isto be understood that although specific terms are employed, they areused in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a board game apparatus, a board actin as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to represent a country wherein an election isto be held to choose the political head thereof, said country being alsomarked to indicate different main political divisions or main areasthereof, each said main political division or main area of such countryhaving a series of arbitrary indications each signifying a portion ofsuch division or area; a series of markers for each player and which aredifierentiated for the different players and adapted to be placed onsaid indications; each of said indications being of an extent to receivemarkers of a plurality of players according to chance determining means;and a set of socalled speech cards marked to indicate policies favoredby the players holding the same and also marked to indicate a movementof markers with respect to certain of said political divisions or areas.

2. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to represent a country wherein an election isto be held to choose the political head thereof, said country being alsomarked to indicate different. main political divisions or main areasthereof, each said main political division or main area of such countryhaving a series of arbitrary indications each signifying a portion ofsuch division or area; a series of markers for each player and which aredifferentiated for the different players and adapted to be placed onsaid indications; each of said indications being of an extent to receivemarkers of a plurality of players according to chance determining means;and a set of cards marked to indicate an advantage gained when playingthe same with respect to certain of said political divisions or areas.

4 3. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to represent a country wherein an election isto be held to choose the political head thereof, said country being alsomarked to indicate diflerent main political divisions or main areasthereof, each said main political division or main area of such countryhaving a series of arbitrary indications each signifying a portion ofsuch division or area; and a'series of markers for each player tions;each of said indications being of an extent to receive markers of apluralityof players according to chance determining means.

4. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to represent a country wherein an election isto be held to choose the political head thereof, said country being alsomarked to indicate diiierent main political divisions or main areasthereof, each said main political division or main area thereof, eachsaid main political division or main area of such country having aseries of arbitrary indications each signifying a portion of suchdivision or area and each main political division being marked toindicate the number of electoral or like votes thereof; a series ofmarkers for each playerand which are differentiated for the differentplayers and adapted to be placed on said indications; each of saidindications being of an extent to receive markers of a plurality ofplayers according to chance determining means; and a set of cardsrespectively marked to indicate an advantage ous movement on the playingfield by the playing of such cards.

5. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to represent a country wherein an election isto be held to choose the political head thereof, said -country beingalso marked to indicate different main political divisions or main areasthereof, each said main political division or main area of such countryhaving a series of arbitrary indications each signifying a portion ofsuch division or area, each main political division being marked toindicate the taking valueof each said portion of such division or area;a series of markers foreach player and which are differentiated for thedifferent players and adapted to be placed on said indications; each ofsaid indications being of an extent to receive markers of a plurality ofplayers according to chance determining means; and a set of cardsrespectively marked to indicate an advantageous movement on the playingfield by the playing of such cards.

6. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playingfield, saidplaying field being marked to indicate a map of the United States andthe respective States thereof, each State having a series of arbitraryindications each signifying a portion of such State; a series of markersfor each player and which are differentiated for the different playersand adapted to be placed on said indications; each of said indicationsbeing of an extent to receive markers of a plurality of players 5according to chance determining means; and a set of cards respectivelymarked to indicate an advantage gained when playing the same, withrespect to certain of said series of arbitrary indications. 10

7. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to indicate a map of the United States andthe respective States thereof, each State having a series of arbitraryindications each signifying a portion of such State; and a series ofmarkers for each player and which are differentiated for the differentplayers and adapted to be placed on said indications; each of saidindications being of an extent to receive markers of a plurality ofplayers 20 according to chance determining means.

8. In a board game apparatus, a board acting as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to indicate a map of the United States andthe respective States thereof, each State having a se- 25 ries ofarbitrary indications each signifying a portion of such State; allStates that-are marked with the same taking value for such arbitraryindications being marked as a group in contrast with marking for all theother groups of States; a 30 series of markers for each player and whichare differentiated for the different players and adapted to be placed onsaid indications; each of said indications being of an extent to receivemarkers of a plurality of players according to chance determining means;and a set of cards respectively marked to indicate anadvantage gainedwhen playing the same, with respect to certain of said arbitraryindications.

9. In a board game apparatus, a board acting 40 as a playing field, saidplaying field being marked to indicate a map of the United States andthe respective States thereof. each State having a substantial number ofapproximately parallel lines each of which signifies a portion of suchState, 45

and a series of markers for each player and which are differentiated forthe difierent players and adapted to be placed on any of said linesaccord ing to the indications of chance determining means.

OSWALD B. LORD.

